Senior Leadership
I am inspired by the faith, courage, and reverence for God by Christian educators around the world! It reminds me of the story recounted in I Samuel 17 about David defeating Goliath. In verse 29, David’s response to the inaction of his elder brothers and the Israelites especially encourages me. He boldly and nobly answers the call to action by asking, "Is there not a cause?”
I can think of no greater cause than to partner with you as you advance Kingdom education. We fully believe that authentic devotion to the Christian faith and academic excellence are mutually reinforcing. There are not two or three forms of excellence, but rather an ethos that is cultivated throughout every facet of our schools. Faith is not separated from learning but rather integrated intentionally, resulting in a distinctive Christian worldview.
Scholarship and learning become an integral component to the maturation process known as discipleship. Thus, becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ, the ultimate objective of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20), is the prize for which we strive; it is the highest form of excellence! It is certainly conceivable that we could produce students with the spiritual depth needed to enter our pluralistic society and not fall prey to empty philosophies. Rather, they would be equipped to saturate the marketplace to which God has called them with confidence, purpose, and an eternal perspective.
ACSI’s ongoing mission is to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. We want to serve you as you continue to cultivate and sustain a flourishing school. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you—thank you for your obedience to God’s call on your life—you are indeed making a difference.
Dr. Larry Taylor, President & CEO, ACSI
larry_taylor@acsi.org
719-867-0200
ACSI Senior Leadership
Dr. David Balik
Vice President USA / Director for North America
Dr. Gavin Brettenny
Chief Strategy Officer
Kevin Buelke
Chief Finance Officer
Roger Cressey
Chief Information & Technology Officer
Stephen Deck
Vice President of Education Standards
Laci Demeter
Director of Europe
Cindy Dodds
Chief School Improvement Officer
Michael Epp
Senior Vice President of Global Development
Chuck Gilliam
Vice President of Membership and Strategic Alliances,
Senior Director, Eastern Division
Brett Henry, J.D.
Chief Operating Officer
John Klingstedt
Chief of Staff
Peter Lee
Director of East Asia
Chris Loncar
Vice President, Human Resources
Christi Lynn
Vice President, Communications & Engagement
Dr. Sosthene Maletoungou
Director of Africa
Jerry Nelson
Chief Ministry Officer
Dr. Angela Patterson
Director for International Schools
Emily Pigott
Vice President of Educational Resources & Student Programs
Stuart Salazar
Director of Latin America
Philip Scott, J.D.
Vice President for Legal Affairs
Rajeev Shaw
Vice President of Sales
Dr. Agus Susanto
Director of Asia Pacific
Dr. Cecil Swetland
Vice President for Development
Dr. Mark T
Director of South Asia
P. George Tryfiates
Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs
Susan Verheul
Vice President, Executive Initiatives
News and Press Releases
ACSI Announces Partnership with America’s Christian Credit Union to Expand Support for Federal Tax Credit Program
The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is pleased to announce a partnership with America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU), a financial institution dedicated to serving Christian organizations and ministries nationwide with a particular passion for resourcing Christian schools.
Through this partnership, ACSI and the Children’s Tuition Fund (CTF) support Christian churches and schools by banking with ACCU, helping expand ACCU’s capacity to serve and strengthen these ministries. In turn, ACCU supports ACSI through sponsorship and charitable giving, while also promoting the Education Freedom Tax Credit opportunity to its members, helping increase scholarship funding for students attending Christian schools supported by CTF.
ACSI President of ACSI Education Foundation, Temple Weiss, expressed why this collaboration is key at this time.
"Any time we eliminate the financial barrier for more students to attend a Christian school, we provide greater Gospel and transformational opportunity to take place in a child's life. We are thrilled to be working with a like-minded organization like ACCU."
ACCU has a long-standing dedication to serving churches, organizations, and individuals committed to Christ.
ACCU CEO Vicki VannBerstein shared her excitement about this partnership.
“The Children’s Tuition Fund is doing incredible work to make Christian education accessible to more families,” she said. “We’re honored to come alongside ACSI and give our members a simple, meaningful way to help students thrive.”
Beginning January 1, 2027, the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit will allow taxpayers to redirect up to $1,700 in federal income taxes already owed into Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs), helping provide scholarships and educational assistance for eligible K–12 students.
ACSI Vice President for Development Dr. Cecil Swetland highlighted why this moment presents a historic opportunity for CTF to expand access to Christ-centered education.
"For the first time in our nation's history, taxpayers can redirect dollars they already owe in federal taxes to help a child access a Christ-centered education,” Swetland said. “This is not just a policy change — it is a providence moment. Our partnership with America's Christian Credit Union strengthens our ability to mobilize donors, resource schools, and serve families who have longed for this opportunity.”
To learn more about the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit and the ACSI Children’s Tuition Fund, visit EveryStudentEveryState.com.
About the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI):
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ACSI exists to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. ACSI advances excellence in Christian schools by enhancing the professional and personal development of Christian educators and providing vital support functions for Christian schools through multiple services including teacher and administrator certification, school accreditation, legal/legislative assistance, and curriculum publishing. Serving more than 25,000 schools in 108 countries, ACSI helps more than 5.5 million students worldwide connect to Christian education.
About Children’s Tuition Fund (CTF):
Children’s Tuition Fund (CTF), a ministry of ACSI, exists to advance and resource educational freedom for parents who desire a Christ-centered education for their children.
CTF works in partnership with schools, contributors, and parents to bless students by offering relationship-oriented financial assistance through these programs. CTF is also poised to facilitate the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship that will launch January 2027. As a Scholarship Granting Organization, CTF works directly with contributors (both individuals and businesses) to process and approve tax credits. We aid schools in raising support and identifying qualified families within their community, and ultimately award scholarships to those families.
About America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU)
ACCU was founded in 1958 by five Nazarene pastors in Whittier, California. The institution now holds more than $800 million in assets and serves 150,000 individual members across Christian churches, ministries, and schools nationwide. Its mission is stated with precision: to enable Christians to advance God’s good plan for the world. Supporting Christian K-12 education is not peripheral to that mission. It is embedded within it.